New Perspectives in Science Education

The impact of both transfer between primary and secondary school and student negative attitudes’ towards learning has been highlighted as key factors for affecting student attainment within secondary education [1]. A clear correlation has been known since Dainton [2] that a decline in attitude of a specific subject has led to a decline in the student choosing that subject within further education. Specifically in relation to the subject of science this has led in recent years to a reduction in the uptake of science and a potential shortage of educated and skilled individuals for the science and engineering sectors [3]. In relation to transition research, one of the key over encompassing ideals is that of limiting the dip seen in student attitude when they leave primary to attend secondary school. According to Morgan [4] transfer from primary to secondary schools provides students challenges in liaisons, continuity and issues of language and socialisation. These results in transitional anxiety [5] which is a factor that has been linked with reductions in attitude and fluctuating emotional states [6]. A measure used to market the secondary school and to ease transitional anxiety is often that of the rising year 6 evening or induction days in which students are able to get a ‘taste’ of what it would be like to attend [7]. However due to a shift in focus of the senior leadership team in marketing themselves to attract the highest attaining students to the school, subjects often give a false reality of what actually occurs within lessons [8] and oversell themselves. The effect of this overselling has, as of yet, has not been evaluated.

Therefore the aim of this presentation is to discuss the literature review and methodology towards assessing the potential impact that the marketing of secondary schools for student transfer by such processes as year 6 open evenings and science induction days have on student’s attitudes towards science within the classroom.